Tube-cleaner



(No Model.)

S. J. GUNN. TUBI: CLEANER.

Patented Ma.

4 l f n. 1.

Inventor.

Witnesses.

'Selto-nJ. Grunn A tto rn eys.

` UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE.

SHELTON J. GUNN, OF' GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

TUBE-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,762, dated May 10, 1898. Application filed November l, 1897. Serial No. 657,(l95l `(No model.)

of my motor by the cutting-tools whencut-A ting the scale from the tubes second, to provide for my cleaner a water or steam motor that will utilize the entire force of theincoming current of water or steam, whichever may be used; third, to provide for carrying several sets of rotary serrated cutters to the surface of the tube, exactly parallel therewith, and at the same time have each act independent of the other; fourth, to avert any obstruction to the free outflow of the propelling force from the motor; fifth, to reduce the friction of the propelling-shaft to the minimum, and, sixth, to provide for using my cleaner on bent tubes.

ings, in which* Figure l is a longitudinal section of a boilertube and my appliance on the line e e of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is the same with the tube removed, showing a modified form of hanging the cutters to act in bent tubes. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, showing the links supported by a ring. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the jacket, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of my supplypipe and motor on the line @c of Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a section of a water-tube, and B represents the base or supply-chamber of my mo-` tor. This supply-chamber is arranged to receive the propelling force from the supplypipe B2, said propelling force being allowed to enter this chamber, but cut off of its direct course by the resisting-wall h and forced to escape through the ports la in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, so that it will strike the buckets C of lthe motor C nearly at right angles. rIhese buckets are I attain theseobjects by the mech-A anism illustrated in the accompanying draw' leaving said buckets and escapes therefrom with a twisting motion, so that it will be thrown forcibly to the surface of the tube and will wash around it instead of passing j through in a direct line and barely rinsing the surface.

These buckets are contained in a case C, having a back wall c, which prevents the propelling force from coming in contact with the back wall of the jacket, and with the projecting peripheral rim c averts all danger of the motor wallowing in the surplus of propelling element. The buckets approach this peripheral :rim upon an easy spiral incline, so that there is no jar as it passes from the buckets and no check in its motion as it passes from the motor.

I prefer that the ports b be made broad at the opening from the chamber and terminate with a very thin jet-like orifice as it opens into the motor, as by this construction I am enabled to utilize they entire impellingforce of the escaping element lnot only by natural expansion, but by its direct impact upon the buckets.

To give the propelling element a ditect ioW from the motor, Iatt-ach its supporting-arms C to the inner edges of the bucket, so that there is no obstruction from the motor to the case. These arms are secured to the propeller-shaft E, as indicated in Figs. l and 2, between the hub VE3 and the wallb, the shaft being supplied in these bearings with a series of antifriction-balls e to reduce as much as possible the lfriction of the revolving shaft.

The motor is contained in an enveloping cylinder or jacket D, which in the ordinary cleaner shownV in Fig. l projects well beyond the supportingspider d to carry the escaping water or steam from the motor to close contact with the cutters F, so that it will take its rst eifect upon the pulverized scale at the instant that itis torn from the surface of the lOO vback upon the operator.

In the ordinary cleaner the shaft E extends beyond the hub E3 far enough to receive and support the hub E, and I pivot to these hubs,

as at e', links f and j", to the opposite ends l of which I pivot the shaft F, upon Which I support a series of revoluble serrated disks F, which are caused to revolve by contact With the surface of the tube and the rapid rotary motion of the shaft E. The links f are provided with slots f, so that they may slide in their pivot-bearing to admit of the cutters or disks F to have a lateral motion, so that the centrifugal force caused by the revolving of the shaft E may force them against and into the scale 0n the surface of the tube. Vhen constructing the cleaner for use on bent tubes, I make the shaft shorter, cutting it off at the hub E3, and support the outer ends of the shafts F by means of an adjustable link, as E2, or a ring E4, so arranged that the cutters may adjust themselves to the curvature of the tube. With this form I reverse the links fand f and arrange the slots f to act with the outer bearing for the purpose of giving to this bearing a greater exibility.

The propelling medium may be either Water, steam, or air under pressure. Having thus fully described my invention, .I What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. Inv a tube-cleaner@ motor having spiral buckets, in combination With a shaft, serrated rotary cutters driven by said shaft, pivotal links connecting said cutters with permanent bearings on said shaft, the links at one end i of the cutter-heads being closely pivoted both l to the bearing aud the head and the links at the other end being adjustably connected so that each head is capable of lateral adjustment independent of the others to permit the cutters to adjust themselves to the surface of the/tubes, substantially as and for the purposev set forth.

' 2. In a rotary tube-cleaner, a motor having spiral buckets and a back and peripheral Walls to prevent backward or radial escape of Watelyarms connecting the inner edges of the buckets with the propelling-shaft, a propellling-shaft, rotary serrated cutters connected at one end to said shaft by pivotal links, and i the opposite ends connected by pivotal links to an adjustable link so that it may adapt itself to bent tubes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l 8. In a rotary tube-cleaner, a rotary motor, a shaft propelled by said mot-or, a series of lshafts each supporting a series of independently-rotatin g cutters, links for pivotally conjnecting said cutter-shafts to the propellershaft, and a jacket open at the front end and having lateral ports at the back end for the free passage of Water, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 27, 1897.

sHELfroN J. GUNN.

In presence of.-

JAMEs CILLEY, ITHIEL J. CILLEY. 

